Desiccant Dryair is a well oiled and happy ship which is unerringly steaming gently towards being a global force in the manufacturing of desiccant dehumidifier equipment, read about the some of the people who work here & you will begin to understand why...these characters are the people who make the difference here at Desiccant Dry Air.
John Cross - Managing Director
John started Desiccant Dry Air back in 1996, his vision was to create a company that not only had a unique product but had a skills base that encompassed the whole spectrum of air conditioning from fabrication to electronics, from refrigeration to process control technology, 3D Auto CAD design to industrial gas installation. John’s credentials are impeccable, an ex paratrooper, after leaving the army he took an engineering degree - passing with honours, he is a CORGI registered industrial gas installer and has electronics qualifications to the latest IIE standard. In the trade it is widely regarded that what John does not know about engineering can be written on a postage stamp!
Since discovering a niche in the air conditioning market for his superior designed and built machines, his business has gone from strength to strength, never resting on laurels, constantly rethinking designs, always incorporating latest technologies and harbouring the desire to always improve the product to the benefit of the client. John is the captain of the ship, steering and navigating the business toward the goal. We’re sure he never sleeps!
I don’t care what anybody else says - John Cross was almost single handedly responsible for the recent success of the Qatar World Cup bid! Everything hung on the showcase stadium in Doha working perfectly to prove that the temperature & humidity could be controlled enough to allow a comfortable environment for footballers. When the proverbial was about to hit the fan - John stepped up and made the whole thing work (it should have - he designed it), when all around him were passing out with stress and heat - he soldiered on, even though it was not his contracted job to do so!
Mike Woods - Electronics, Technical & Sales
Mike has been working for John for as long a I can remember, like a good marriage the relationship is always maturing and the two compliment each other. Mike started life in the auto industry and is a highly qualified mechanic, migrating into electronics, his qualifications are too many to fit on the walls! Mike’s responsibilities encompass the design, manufacture and physical wiring up of the electronics that control the desiccant machines, as each client’s needs are bespoke so too is each control panel, he never ceases to amaze us with his ability to overcome control problems, he never ceases to amaze us with his attitude to further developing his skills.
Mike’s exuberant character makes him the perfect man for approaching new clients, so we put him in the hot seat. So far, his sales ability has brought the business numerous new clients and in typical Mikey style he has negotiated great deals for the company and the clients.
Any electrical questions? Call Mike! Any sales enquiries? Call Mike! Just don’t mention his hair!
Ricardus - Fabrication & CAD
Ricardus joined us a year ago and is proving to be an indispensable asset to our happy little team. Having filled the boots of Marcus admirably he is now our up and coming star on the guillotine and CNC pressbrake. He is, of course, Lithuanian (but we don’t hold that against him) and by all accounts a giant of a man! At 6” 5 inches he is not to be messed with, contradicted or argued with. When it comes to fabrication, design and build his 12 years experience as foreman building monster container ships in Russia has served him well and now he employs his vast knowledge (and body) in creating our machines. If we can’t reach something on a shelf or the forklift is down - get a Ricardus!
Oh, and he’s getting pretty good at Auto CAD inventor too.
Jim - Fabrication & Welding
What can we say about Jim that has not already been said about Marcus? Jim has been with us about 3 years (so we are still getting used to his jokes) in which time he has constantly surprised us with the depth of his knowledge and experience in the trade. The stories seem to never end about where and who he has worked for or with! We just love him. He may be a little older than the rest of us but we all need a father figure, if we get out of line, he tells us how it is. If we struggle to find an answer to the problem, Jim pops up with a solution (in his spare time he teaches Microsoft Excel!!) In all the time Jim has been with us we have never had to scrap anything, just about says it all, his experience and forethought save us all time, money and aggravation. Always happy and ready with a joke, he is slowly and surely becoming an indispensable asset to our team.
Despite the rumours we can categorically state that he does have hair underneath that hat!
Andy Hockridge - Marketing & Design
Yes, you guessed it, I wrote all this, I made this web site, I took all the photos. It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it! My job is to make sure that all that the literature that leaves this business looks pretty and is anatomically correct. I am the front line, the surface, the custard on the pudding, the appearance of the company, so if you don’t like what you see I will be very unhappy. When there is no more marketing to do I go onto the shop floor and get my hands dirty, which I love, I too have much experience in the air conditioning industry from my misspent youth. I try my best to keep the shop floor tidy, the stores clean and organised and occasionally they let me weld something - as long as it is not too important!
Jolanta Cross - Administration & Auto CAD Design
Jolanta is the real boss - the much, much better half to John, we all account to her because she pays the wages! Jolanta started working for John in 2000 as an electrical engineer and soon the sparks were flying (sorry)! After a couple of years and a lot of anguished training, she took over the unenviable task of designing the machines in Auto CAD inventor, every single bend, fold, cut, nut, bolt & screw and where they go is all down to her ability to get the designs to the guys on the workshop floor. As usual for a woman, she multitasks with ease and moves onto the administration of the company, if it is the mobile phone contract, purchasing, stock control or simply getting the lunch, she’s the girl with it all.
Her latest task is somewhat more difficult - mother (well done Jol). No photo allowed, her hair was a mess (eyes are rolling)!
Oscar - Security & Biscuits
nuff said!!